“If you write something mediocre chances are it won’t get published.” James Patterson
Try to see the world through your character’s eyes, the way that character would see the world. Look through their eyes, their religion, spiritual beliefs, fears, what he hates, loves, and wishes.
What I get from this: If the character you are creating is the antagonist makes sure you give them a redeeming quality. Make them human.Put yourself into your characters, how would you feel in that same situation?
Create a great character by how they see the world. James Patterson doesn’t write realism. He does get into the emotional part of his character, Alex Cross’s career of being a cop. Get into the emotional feel of your character’s career.
Are you having trouble finding the right career for your character? Here is a link- with a list of careers. – Occupational Outlook Handbook
“Difficult to create a hero that you want to read about- if there isn’t complexity “ `James Patteson
Your secondary characters, the Grandmother in the Alex Cross books is vital, and she is a secondary character.
I am ending this, ‘Friday with James Patterson’ with a picture of Megumi. She is a rescued Ragdoll. She was abused and nearly dead when she was taken in by a local rescue group. I will tell you about her in a future post. I just wanted you to see her. Happy, Healthy and spoiled in her forever home.
James Patterson holds up a yellow legal pad and says, “This is the enemy, the blank page.”
Just get that first draft down. Like everyone James Patterson can have trouble getting those words down on paper, getting them down so they sound and feel right.
“A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.”~ E.B. White
To cut through my writer’s block, I tried a dictation software. Where my words were typed out for me. That didn’t work. ‘If ‘what I spoke out loud, wasn’t what was typed. Which, disappointedly it wasn’t. Instead it caused more writer’s block and anger at myself for trying to do something new, instead of just writing and editing later…I will answer emails or wash dishes instead of writing. So using that software was my way at procrastinating.
Back to James.
If he isn’t getting it, he puts TBD (To Be Done) then comes back to it. Blocks happen. When you get blocked just move on.
James said, “Like when your trying to do a sport and you get all tense, that’s not going to work. You’re going to strike out.”
Seven days a week, Mr. Patterson gets up early and skims through two or three papers, and a cup of coffee. It takes him about fifteen minute. Then he starts writing. He writes in pencil, on yellow legal pad. He has an assistant to type up his handwritten ideas.
I want an assistant. 🙂 She can help vacuum up all the cat hair. I bet James has a maid to do his vacuuming …yes, I am getting off track.
James Patterson will read what he ‘just’ wrote and edits that only.
What I got from this video is you need to find a way to make your mind a blank. So you can recharge. This makes sense. When I get stressed, I can’t write. When my mind is full I can’t write.
Stay Focused
James has always been able to tune out the world and focus on what he is doing.
I will need to take all my crazy personalities off to the side and have a talk with them. Maybe I just need to yell ‘Shut up’ not that they will listen…Some people can use music to find that place where they can write. I need quiet. Find your quiet place.
James Patterson can tune out anything. He is able to concentrate. He does one thing at a time. If you learn how to tune out everything, learn to focus on one thing. Concentrate on that one thing. Then you then can get into the story, into the scene.
James Patterson writes seven days a week, he loves it!
“Do the best you can possibly do.” James Patterson said, “Aim for the stars.”
This lesson comes with the PDF workbook and a comments section where you can post your thoughts on this lesson.
“Only his editor has seen this outline,” we are told by James Patterson. “He hasn’t shared this before.”
I am not posting that outline nor the lessons. What I will do is give you my impression of those first three chapters in his book Honeymoon. And their ‘first and last’ sentences.
James Patterson’s chapters are short. His first chapter is only about 700 words. Now that is a guesstimate, 250 per page- guesstimate.
Before chapter one, the page is labeled:
Part One PERFECT COUPLES
This part goes on and on according to my book. In the ‘Honeymoon’ outline, Part Two starts with Chapter nineteen.
I posted 💡 in the comment section asking…
In the outline, I saw the book was cut into, not only chapters but, into Part-one, Part-Two, and Part Three. In the (actual) book, Honeymoon, or at least my copy. I only see Part One labeled. If the Parts were only for the outline, why start with Part One? Is this the storytelling arc- with a three-act structure?
I await my answer. 😎 In the meantime read on.
Chapter one starts with:
“Nora could feel Connor watching her. “
Is this a stalker? We find out in the next sentence, -Connor always watches her pack. We are still getting to know this couple.
It ends with a sentence that needs no explanation.
“Now, what was that about tying somebody up?” she asked.
I can see how this chapter connects and then fills in with this couple joking, playing with each other. We see love; we are in love with them. These two, together, feel good. All happy, shiny lovey-dovey, and rich, what could go wrong? This is the beginning, something has to happen or what’s the point of reading.
Chapter two has nearly 1,000 words in this chapter, which starts with:
“Thirty-minutes later, donning a plush pink terry-cloth robe, Nora descended the sprawling staircase of Connor’s 11,00-square-foot, three-story neoclassic Colonial.”
Nice description.
And here is the last sentence in this second chapter:
“She quickly dressed, and moments later, as the limousine started to drive away, Nora called to Connor out the open back window. “I’m the luckiest girl in the world!”
All I think here is, Duh!
Each chapter has its own beginning and end. Each one tells us about Nora and Connor. Each one is drawing us a little further into the story with very few words we connect to the main character.
Chapter three:Is less than five hundred words. Remember my guesstimate, at 250-per page.
First sentence: “Nora couldn’t stop staring at the dazzling ring for most of the ride to the Westchester airport. “
And then the last two sentences:“Before reaching for the door, she glanced at her watch. It was showtime.”
That word, ‘showtime’ changed the tone of the story. We can hear, see and feel the change.
“The first couple of chapters really set up the third chapter.” James Patterson.
This class you can post comments, videos, and download the workbook. Listening to James Patterson is worth the price of admission.
Friday’s Video Lesson 5 from James Patterson’s MasterClass.
For those who don’t understand these posts. I am taking James Patterson’s MasterClass. Every Friday I will post a few words about what I learned and what I am pondering , about this lesson. This week is lesson five. If you have questions post them here. Or, if you want to join this class, then click the link in the left top sidebar.
James Patterson masterclass lesson five
This lesson is about the information you will need to fill out your story.
RESEARCH
“The more you BS when you are writing a book the worse it is” ~ James Patterson
SEEK INSPIRATION
“For male readers, details can never be enough. If you get it wrong you lose them. If you as a writer can’t get your facts straight, how can your readers believe anything in the story? Don’t fake it! Don’t make it up.”~ James Patterson
KNOW YOUR LOCATIONS
“If you are writing about a city it is important in your story you need to be there. Wandering around a new city, what do you notice?”~James Patterson
My thoughts went off in the direction of drawing up a map. You will need a map of ‘where’ your story takes place. Your characters won’t be floating in space. They need a place to live, to move around, to cause damage.
If your setting is in a city block, how many houses are on this street? If it is in the country or an apartment building, how many people live there? How many pets? How many kids? Where are the trees? Fences and the grocery store, the library? Just like in your neighborhood show where your characters’ take a walk, and how do they get to work? A bus? A car? Do they walk or jog or ride a bike?
Can’t draw. Then do a search on Google Maps. Try your own home address. Or go right to the location of your novel. Move the map around, find the right street. Make sure you have the local flavor, the grocery store, library, or coffee shop. You will see each street labeled. You can get in closer and explore the area right on ground level.
copy a map from google maps
Try this with any town. Take a screen shot. Copy it out by hand or print it out. You have the beginnings of your setting. Your story map.
Be as detailed as you like
Now back to James Patterson’s MasterClass.
CONDUCT INTERVIEWS
James Patterson said, “Mostly you won’t have trouble getting an interview. People like to talk about what they do.”
I wonder if in his first interview he was nervous? Is he still nervous? I wonder if he was ever turned down for an interview?
With the Cross book, James Patterson had to learn about forensic psychology to make his book believable.
What I got out of this, was to write about what you know- then learn the rest. Talk to people. Find someone, who can do what you need to learn. Go to the library. Look on the Internet, ask questions, find the information then write about it.
As an example: You need to learn how to fly a hot air balloon. Check out the Internet. Find a company who will take you up in a hot air balloon. Then once you are up in the big blue yonder, you can start asking questions. Always be polite and request that interview instead of cornering people.
I just did a Google search on ‘Hot Air Balloon’ rides near me and found, Nostalgia Ballooning. So many beautiful pictures!
Lesson Five has a workbook, a comment section, and a video critique if you have questions on this or any lesson, you can post a video for Mr. Patterson.
From me: read, read, read, you will learn a lot about how to write, by reading and picking apart someone else’s stories.
See you next Friday for lesson six of James Patterson’s MasterClass. If you want to take this class, click on the link in the -top-left sidebar.
“Story is about the thrills, and twists and turns, but more than anything else it’s about revealing character.” ~James Patterson
What I learned from Jim Patterson in lesson four.
Characters are revealed by their action
Try to write every chapter, as it was your first chapter in a book.
Set out to write a number one story thriller, with a number one story idea.
Don’t write a single chapter that doesn’t ‘t propel the story forward
Leave out all the parts readers are going to skim.
Tell my story, map out my story, in ten or fifteen minutes
James Patterson mentions E.M Forster and his famous description of a plot.
The king died and the queen died is a story
The king died and the queen died of grief, is a plot
What does this mean? What I see… When that Queen died from grief you can add the love story, the reason for her death. The cause of her death, from there you have the beginnings of a story. From there you add in the ‘why’ that Queen loved the King so much she died when he did. You will wonder how the King died. You get it?
James Patterson said to, “Find the conflict in your characters.”
He also used The Great Gatsby’s plot: Gatsby has everything anyone could dream of except love. Gatsby gets love. Gatsby loses love and loses everything. And that’s Gatsby.
The rest are all those questions, problems, and the reasons why Gatsby did what he did.
Listen carefully to lesson 4 video, do the assignment. Have a question ask it. Have a comment post it. Watch that video as many times as you need to.
See you in class.
The writer finished James Patterson’s Masterclass.
The writer finished James Patterson’s Masterclass then wrote a mystery.
These are just a few points that stood out. There is a class video along with a workbook and comments section.
“The more you know about, the more likely you are to combine things into an idea that is striking.”~ James Patterson
What I got from this lesson.
Men see things differently than woman do.
Make an idea notebook
Ask yourself: Can I write a whole book about this? Will people care?
Write for yourself, then
Write for your reader.
Keep learning new things
James Patterson is frequently asked, “Where do you come up with your stories?”
He will come up with a title or some little thing will catch his eye. He explains he has a big folder of ideas, and that he can write a story about anything.
Anything?
James Patterson tells us, that he can get an idea from something he might spot on the street.
Let me think about this one. Gum, or doggy-do? Hmmm, maybe a bit of trash can lead your readers to a mystery. I can see this.
Jimmy weaved up to his apartment door. The sun would be rising in a few minutes. Dizzy and exhausted he dropped his keys just as the wind picked up, blowing an empty bag of chips across his bloody Rockport’s. He scooped up his keys as the empty chip bag skipped across a patch of grass and lodged under his neighbor’s car. …Maybe the chip bag had the blood, not his shoes, even better.
He goes on to say that you need to find an idea that ‘you’ find interesting. Patterson states, “I don’t write realism.”
One of his favorite books is Honeymoon. Which just so happens to be the book used as an example through this class. If you haven’t read it, you can get a copy by clicking that link/app over to left side page. I am reading this book, it flows quickly, I am hooked. * I plan on picking the book apart in a different post.
When you take this class. Listen and listen well. That Ah-ha moment you are looking for may not hit you right away.
“You hope the book you are writing is spectacular.”~ James Patterson
James Patterson’s workbook, for his MasterClass, has the first four videos listed to be viewed in the first week. Today, I will just talk about the first video, out of the twenty-two. He does say to take this class at your own pace. *See link on top, left sidebar.*
You may be wondering why I would be blogging about this class.You may be asking. Copyright issues, aren’t they a problem? Well, they could be except in the first class I was told to:
TAKE IT FURTHER
▶ Get your friends to support your new project. Post your intentions on social media and update your status regularly over the course of the class. Identify a few interested friends who would be willing to provide feedback. We’d love to see your progress too! Share your status with us on Twitter and Facebook @MasterClass.
In this class, Mr. Patterson, has us follow along with his book Honeymoon. This way you can see how the book was imagined.
“Keep the passion alive.”
What do I expect from this class?
Well, what I want is a book contract. 🙄 And to have the talent to put together a story while lying on a beach getting burned to a crisp while having someone’s worrying over me with a fan, SPF100, a large hat, lots of water and…Come on! Realistically! I am standing at a tall table clicking away, wondering why my characters are crawling under the table and wasting away while there is a full fridge just steps away. I wonder, who is sneaking in from the hallway? Heh-heh!
“Love what you do”
In the first video, ‘Introduction’ you hear, “Hi, I am Steven King” James Patterson jumps right in telling you that first lines are important. In those four words, you see that this class “will be reverent and fun and a little jokey at times. And I know who writers like Steven King are.”
Are you good at investing time? Mr. Patterson is very efficient and lets you know he will talk about, “How to invest that time well, taking time wasting things out of the process.”
If you listen you will learn from his talks.
James Patterson tells me. “It is a daunting thing to start a book.”
In this class, he will talk about raw ideas, how to build a characters, how to create a scene, how to make a chapter work, outlines, marketing.
“Believe in yourself”
He will tell me how he writes, how he makes his writing work.
I downloaded the workbook with the Honeymoon outline.
He tells me, to get excited to write. Your first book, he says, may never get published. James Patterson’s first book was never published.
“Endure rejection”
Listen to his videos and read the workbooks, make comments, ask Mr. Patterson a question by making a video and posting it. Hmm. Now where did I put my Jane Jetson mask?
What did I get out of this first video? James Patterson’s voice. There is nothing like hearing an author talk. He is trying to tell his secrets as long as you can hear and absorb them. I can hear you saying, “What the does that mean?” {I kept the space for Hemingway}
Have you watched a movie or read a book for the second time, then realized you missed so much in that first reading. Listening to someone trying to teach you something is like that. Your mind has to be open.
Is there something you want to know about this class, this video? Ask me!
James Patterson Teaches Writing. In Mr. Patterson’s MasterClass, there are 22 video lessons and exercises. I will be posting about each lesson, once a week, for twenty-two Fridays.
This is from the class page. ~
“James teaches you how to create characters, write dialogue, and keep readers turning the page.”
And this is from the class page:~ “100% EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
For the first time, James Patterson teaches you everything he has learned. Only available through MasterClass.”
We shall see…
I will write about the class, giving you my impressions, and some of my notes.
I had started this class last year and I was unable to finish due to a car accident. My brain was rattled. I was unable to comprehend what I was reading. Instead of giving up and not reading, I became angry and reread paragraphs. I used a blank piece of paper to cover the part of the page I wasn’t reading.
Then, I wrote… I wrote anything that came to mind. Mostly what I wrote didn’t make sense. Still I wrote.
The accident happened while my husband and I were sitting at a red light and discussing where we would stop for an early dinner. We had just left my doctor’s office. I have been seeing this doctor for years; he has treated me for two bouts of cancer. I see him every year; he monitors my blood and thyroid levels, ensuring all my numbers are in line.
The truck that hit us was in the right lane, the driver decided he wanted to get over to the far left, so he could turn on route 83. There were a few things he didn’t take into consideration. The van in front of him, the red light and the speed limit. And the rest of the cars on the road!
He slammed into a van, then pushed the van into the back of our car. The light changed just as all this was taking place. The cars in front and to the right moved forward. Metal screeching and tires squealing as we were thrown forward. Luckily my husband had left enough space between us and the car in front of us, so as we were hit, we were able to avoid engaging a fourth car in the accident.
Back to James Patterson’s MasterClass. Tomorrow I will post the first lesson. See you then…
If you want to work along with me…Click on the MasterClass widget located on the sidebar.
Prince was a part of my life, even though I was never able to attend his concerts or meet the man, the singer, the dancer, and the artist. My moments are interweaved with his music and are still part of my life. I would play his songs when I hung out with my friends, friends who, sadly, died young. Just listening and dancing to Prince’s songs brings them back.
I listened to Prince on date nights, sung and danced to with my sister to ‘Little Red Corvette’ and rocked with my kids.
Prince’s songs are part the human condition. Dare you to close your eyes, and see if you can’t help but rock out with, ‘U got the look’ or D.M.S.R.
He was there for major and minor life changes. When my day was disheartening listening to, ‘When Doves Cry ‘made me feel. When New Years Eve came around and I was at work, I cranked up a radio and played, ‘1999.’ Just crying in the dark, or dancing away depression, anger, or a breakup, didn’t matter when I cranked up ‘PartyMan.’
Prince’s life intersected with my life, with my kids, every time I turned on the radio, MTV, or remember driving in a car with the rusted out floors, eating ketchup on bread, Princes songs, his voice, his essence was right there with me.
And lets not forget, the man was damn sexy. {{HOT}}[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYVOrzv61Yg[/embedyt]
Last year I moved my wordpress blog to here… Then stuff happened and I stopped posting.
What I mean as stuff, first my dog died-my mom got sick and she died. Anytime I thought of writing -something came up -or the phone rang. My list of things to do got longer and harder to complete.
Well,… that needs to end.
I feel better when I write, except when I sit to long, so…I grabbed my PC and stood at a tall table. My cats weren’t to happy, they tried to knock it down. They needed something else to watch, so I sprinkled bird seed on the deck.
